Thursday, 28 May 2015

I am under going some blog maintenance which is a bit like dyeing your hair, shaving ; including the long like yeti hair on your legs, if you are a Greek God or Goddess then please do forgive me. You see for me blogging is fun , yes in those early heady days I got a bit woe is me and poor me and how I bemoaned my situation letting everyone know in the process.

Blogging doesn't have to be so so traumatic we all blog for different strokes and different folks.

I'll impart some of my infinite wisdom to you , you'd like that wouldn't you ?

You still there ?

Good!

Are you sitting comfortably? ( ps if you have boil on your bottom then I am sorry) , then we will begin.

It really as simple as this , check what posts you have in draft if you are like me then you will have a gazillion , gazillion for me translates as 48 , now some of these will be a title that is no longer workable or relevant to be so I'll start by thinning those. this will perhaps see me getting down to about 30 let us say.

Then I will work through the others and see if I can turn them into blog posts that I can schedule for the times I am travelling or having an exotic adventure somewhere, between us a cup of time is an exotic glamorous adventure for me, the little things do matter don't they now.

By the time I am finished I have about 8 blog posts that are scheduled to go out , half will be finished and obviously the other half won't . It is essential that in a note book / diary you must may a note of those that you have scheduled, of course you don't have to scudded but a little pressure will keep the content flowing and your creative mind in check.

As you read this I am relaxing in a Spa and having a thoroughly decadent time and as I wrote this before I went away , I can let my words do the work and have a relax. I hopefully have remembered to shave my legs before the Spa but if you hear screaming in the Hampshire area then I am sorry it is all my fault.

Tuesday, 26 May 2015

At the moment we are in the throws of the teen doing his GCSE's no fuss, no tantrums cool as a cucumber he is ; the only signs of the marauding teen is when he comes down for food. I liken it no a house trained hamster but less noise well that is till he puts his music on whilst showering then it sounds like a night club. A happy teen is a contended teen which makes for a more relaxed parent and being well rested is number one on the list as if a teen doesn't sleep well then all hell can break loose and worse still performance could suffer at school.A good mattress is essential and that is where Dormeo stepped in just before my son started his GCSE's which was ideal as that means I could tackle cleaning the teens room as well a job not for the faint hearted. I open his bedroom window for fresh air he closes it and so begins the cat and mouse game , oh the fun we have.We have a memory foam mattress ourselves so we don't need to drag the teen round the mattress shop complete with eye rolling , the teen couldn't believe it when the mattress arrived all vacuum packed and rolled up in a long slender cardboard box. It would seem all the cool mattresses are doing this nowadays When you open the packaging do make sure you do this in the room where the mattress is going so you don't have to shuffle it up the stairs. Of course if you do ( ahherm then it is most light and manageable to do so )The mattress naturally inflates itself and you leave it flat for 18 hours , it then naturally inflates itself to its intended height over the course of the day.The Dormeo Silver plus is an Italian design and one of the key features stated is its sanitised protection. It is named as such as it incorporates real silver fibres into a super Ecocell. Silver has been recognised as a natural antibiotic and this provides an anti-bacterial, anti-static, anti-bacterial and anti-odour properties.The Mattress has super magical powers in my opinion it contains bling ( silver) for the teen we opted for the single mattress.

This is a top quality Dormeo memory foam mattress has a super-thick Ecocell® and memory foam core, with an extra plush Silver cover for maximum comfort, support and protection. Silver protection Silver has long been recognised as a remarkable natural antibiotic and, weaved into our mattress cover in combination with Sanitized® protection, it affords you amazing anti-bacterial, anti-static and anti-odour properties. Ecocell is a patented foam with 3D open cell structure designed to work in unison with Dormeo memory foam. 20mm of Dormeo’s high quality visco-elastic memory foam sits on a 180mm layer of Ecocell® foam, all surrounded by a luxury cover which incorporates real silver fibres and Sanitized® protection

The Teens ImpressionsThe teens impressions were favourable and loved the fact that he didn't sink into the mattress , and that we was able to sit on it and do his revision ( despite US having brought him a rather pricey desk). He also found that he was able to lounge and do his gaming when he wasn't revising or sleeping.

The Parents view
The package arrived in a long slender cardboard box as the mattress was vacuum pack * I repeat do not unpack the mattress till you have reached the final resting place ( see what I did there ) . The mattress will take 18 hours to reach its required height which is the same amount of time you spent in the supermarket queue to be honest.Fim star looks
As this is a special mattress it doesn't scrimp on looks either , the colour is white and both the sticking and weave are superior quality to anything I have seen on a mattress before. The Dormeo branding can be seen on both the sides and top of the mattress well if you've got it you flaunt it. The size of the mattress is 90 cm x 190cm)

The cost
This mattress retails at £249 as it is currently in the sale and it carries a guarantee of 15 years , which I am happy about as it will take him well into his adulthood , next mattress he can obtain himself.

Teenager update
I told the teen to warm up before running and warm down but would he listen ~ nope he is currently negotiating running a bath this is first for him , so here is hoping he doesn't flood the bathroom. He now taken himself to lie down on his bed with his legs effortlessly cushioned by his new mattress ~ bless his little cotton socks.

Disclosure I was sent the mattress for the teen all reviews and words are ours , also we have learnt an important lesson that we should listen to our parents.

Monday, 25 May 2015

My job as a teaching assistant more often or not as a SEN teaching assistant; there is so much to say but how to express it actually in words is the hard part, I just do what I do it is like breathing so therefore is second nature. I have been in my present job for 11 years and previous to that I worked at a dedicated Special needs school which was very challenging but very rewarding indeed, the unconditional love is amazing. I moved to the school where I am now as it was more particular to do so my for son and for child care purposes, and when he moved on to Juniors I stayed , he is now at senior school.

The age range of my school is 4-7 with 4 classes in each year group we are a very large Infant school the largest I believe with the city where I am. We have a mixture of pupils with different needs like autism and as such the care of each and every child is assessed in line with current guidelines , but we as a school go beyond these guidelines. It is hard not to have an emotional attachment in what you do , I am always professional but I do give my heart and soul and it does make my heart ache to step away sometimes . Colleagues always consult with each other and there are regular meetings such as teaching staff meeting, teacher training days ( known as insets) as you never stop learning or training once you are within education.

To keep on what I do I write of course my blog which is injected every so often with what I do in a educational capacity which I have to write about in such a way not to identify my school or any pupils.

And Knowing in some small but great part that I am impacting upon a child's life is an awesome responsibility ; being a teaching assistant is rather like being a super hero really.

I work under both the amazing teachers guidelines and within the national curriculum , I am always amazed how children learn , children teach us so many life lessons. From problem solving to encouraging traditional play I do it all and more.

Each day I work there a little more courage is escalated within my life and slowly but surely I am returning to hobbies in my life such as choir than I shunned, reading returning to reading as having had a depression breakdown it takes every ounce of my energy to concentrate on the matter to hand. And maybe I'll even attempt the odd doodle ......

Saturday, 23 May 2015

Today we have a guest
post from Jo Middleton. Read more from Jo over at her award-winning mummy blog, Slummy single mummy.

…

I am staring at a blank screen, wondering how to start. I want
400 words of wit and charm, something to make people think ‘I like this woman,
I’m going to have a read of her blog after this.’

Writing your own blog is easy - you waffle on in the same way you
always have, people know what to expect, and regular readers forgive you if you
have an off day or are a little on the dull side. When you’re writing for
someone else’s blog though it’s totally different. Suddenly you have the chance
to make an impression.

It’s quite scary to be honest, a bit like a first date. You
start to imagine yourself as the person you have always wanted to be - these
readers don’t know you, you can be anybody! Should I tell everyone I’m a size
ten with thick, blond hair, who gets up at 5am every morning to run a half
marathon? Let’s not be silly. But still, it feels like an opportunity, albeit a
small one, to reinvent yourself.

The question though, is who do you want to be?

A few months ago I went to a Q&A with David Mitchell (The
Peep Show one, not the Cloud Atlas one.) I asked him a question, a question I
ask myself a lot.

“Would you rather be clever or funny?”

“Funny,” he said, without even thinking about. “I’d definitely
rather be funny. I spend my whole life trying to be funny. Plus, I think it’s
actually really clever to be able to make someone laugh.”

I agreed.

Thinking about this post then, I wondered how much of an effort
I should make to be funny. I could tell a joke maybe? But then I only know that
one about the monkeys falling out of trees, and no one ever laughs when I tell
it. Maybe not.

Should I try to be clever? I’m not sure how to get that across
in a few hundred words. No one wants to hear about my degree prize do they?

Friday, 22 May 2015

The best adventures are the ones where you get lost , may be that unexpected turn will lead to adventure , it really never hurts to explore. So many people don't like to be lost or get lost and I do understand I really do , they don't want to feel vulnerable in a strange place.

I do understand this ~ It is like driving in a car ( for me it as a passenger ) say for instance the sat nav fails and then it is left to me to rad the map and be like the co driving rallying , with me reading the map we are more than likely to end up in the wrong place.

Life skills

But the more I adventure and travel the more I realised I actually love getting lost not only will getting lost will enhance you but it will hand you life skills. Here is why

Problem solving skills ~ reading that map will help you and bring lost skills ( like orienteering to the forefront maybe ) There is no reason to be pig-headed over map reading it is just something you have to get over, you have to look at your situation in a different light , see it as an opportunity to improve your problem solving skills. You will in no time turn around a possibility devastating event into something most magical and romantic ~ a string to your wanderlust bow.

I can see family/friends travel companions arguments lingering in the horizon

It will help deal with your stressful situations , obviously it might not be helpful in the heat of the moment but the more you do it the more you will learn. I am not advocating that you have a full blown argument with everyone , looking back at reactions later on can be really could be of use.

If you want to get to know someone then travel with them Often getting lost will make for the best memories and stories
Getting lost does not mean that everything will grind to a stop ~ for instance when we were in Berlin we had a landmark in view but just let our feet do the walking to it , Mr T did tall talking just as well as he didn't hear me moaning about my poor feet ( I vehemently deny a lack of fitness at that pint in my life. If you are on foot see where that twisty lane will take you perhaps the best Parisian cafe in all of Paris or if you are travelling by car just going beyond the horizon will bring you to the best restaurant ever with the most amazing food that you don't instagram it , you just let your words lay down roots for people to travel and experience for themselves.

Tempus Fugit
Time flies when you are on holiday or travelling so don't over plan discover the un-discoverable by getting lost , unless of course you are on a tight schedule. It is an opportunity to be lost not a calamity.Learning to relax by getting lost and going with the flow

Some of the best adventures I have had are by getting lost and they make the best stories the ones when people are hooked on your every word and it fires intrigue in their eye and a sense of I want to do that ~ I can do that . My approach to travel is never to assume that everything will go to will go to plan . My honeymoon for example there was travel with the plane and we had to stop overnight in Brighton and had David Blanket's room as there had just been a party conference there , had the plan not been delayed then I wouldn't have had that opportunity. Even though we had been delayed flying out to Canada we arrived and went straight out to make the best use of out times by course getting lost.

Rules are there to be broken like your travel plans

Be Cavalier.

Adventure
I accept that travel isn't prefect , I love to push the boundaries and as as result I am relaxed . I wholeheartedly embrace getting lost for the very best soul building , more making adventures. Travel is a factor that can be changed by the slightest occurrence and going with the flow will enable you to enjoy the experience more.

EmpowermentDisclaimer

There are obviously situations you are not going to make yourself lost in i.e. placing yourself in danger. It can genuinely be scary getting lost in some situations and having been there I wouldn't jest about it.

Tuesday, 19 May 2015

A blog song is not like a swan song but I read a post the other day from Maris world and it got me to thinking why and how we blog, Mari started her beautiful blog in 2010 and myself it was April 2011.

A blog is now a buzz word and the spirals on the other mediums leave me spinning , vlog it , surprise reveal it ,Instagram ,it press trip the possibilities are endless they really are, my head is spinning I am not sure about yours. SO I am asking is you can the old fashioned blog be sustainable I like it to Betamax V Video or E book versus real paper.

My world I admit splintered last year when I had my depression breakdown too many friendships in too many areas and it imploded inward and outwards, I lost friendships you give yourself and someone will trample upon you. I have picked myself dusted myself out and I am on the up life is too short. I have stepped back this year from the blogging treadmill of the constant events and have only gone to a couple.

So arrived the blogging hipster the fresh young things who know their stuff and why not ...

But there is me having dabbled in vlogging and left that alone for the minute , I spoke to my nice who is 10 and asked did she still watch Zoella "No not really " and there you have it the social media is a fast pace world.

Though is the old fashioned blog the constant the old guard that will still have a place in the blogging world.

Blogging is like being in the Matrix.

"Do you want to download jujitsu"

"Hell yeah"

Dreaming.

We all have blog dreams of where we want to be , these may or not come true.

Have I though about giving up , I'd be a fool if I didn't say I hadn't.

I am not just the crazy cat lady as I used to be called ~ I am me

The fact that my cat is crazy is just an added bonus.

I am the quirk that is the unique the variable in the blogging mix.

The other day I switched off from everything and went out for a meal with my family and I didn't blog about it, Facebook it or even Instagram it.

So did it even happen ?

Yes it did , I conveyed my though and opinions by good old fashioned talking , if I had had a Polaroid camera on me then I may of done that.

Stand still long enough and you 'll be in a linky , linkies are a good way to meet people and to develop content but you know what I sort of feel like Jacob Marley with all the links of a chain round his name bogged down by the need to pump out for needs be sake.

There are some great linkies out there and sometimes I do join in , I must guide myself and not feel compelled to do everyone !

My child is a teen so surely I shouldn't be blogging as I won't be able to tell you what is the new must be have toy , or what yogurt to eat. In my early days I din't have blog some strange reviews but I have since wised up and what I do know is relevant to me and hopefully.

Have I won an award?

Have I heck!

I blog for me , I blog to inspire I blog as I do am I a blogging dinosaur?

Am I the elephant in the room.

No doubt.

What am I reminded of is this.

No matter how old or I or other get .. for the record I am 42 and it is only hip to be coming up to 40 so it appears * could be a lie

I am reminded of real friendship like from Mari and so many others who ground me when I get flighty or sad, the beauty of real writing no matter how trendy the blogging gets , hell I haven't even got my own hashtag.

Keeping in real in 2015

And no my grammar doesn't get no better than this. * joke please don't kill me with a dictionary !

Word UP

I met a wonderful blogger at the first Britmums and next minute she was up receiving an award and was a key speaker the outstanding lady was Hayley from Downside up , this lady has been my friend since 2012 , I feel as if I have known her forever.

Then at another Britmums I met the amazing Fiona from Coombemill whilst calming down an upset blogging , it is what we do , and who we are blogging is family.

I'm starting to look at new kitchens and I'm gob smacked at the prices . I think kitchens are the Bermuda Triangle of money so looking around beckons you 've all sorts , one chappy has been round with his tape measure it was a big one and I got to hold it ; the tape measure that is.

My tops for kitchen planning so far :

1. I'd like to win one I have high hopes of this .

2. I believe in dreams.

3. See 1 & 2.

Despite me not having a kitchen till 2 years , I like to plan forearmed is forearmed as they say.

Now I know that kitchens are not cheap but I think I can plan well enough and cut down costs instead of having a breakfast bar replaced by cupboard , I can instead save money here by having a free standing unit. Also the cats will be mighty grateful as in winter they toast their little paws on the radiator sucking up the heat like a rather fluffy mad tempered sponge.

At the moment I am looking at Ikea for ideas I think I like things higgledy piggledy , from what I see from when other people have have there kitchen done , it is quite the hair tearing out process.

Have you got any ideas or recommendations where I can look? and any ideas how I can save money would be most welcome , I am not beyond getting Mr T to tile and lay a floor ( after all he has to work make sure we keep home)

I am going to make the most of those pesky corners and have a carousal fitted to make life easier for me !

I really want to keep a kitchen under £6,000 as about the same as the kitchen is going to be going on my son will be planning to go to university and then I really will have no money!

Thursday, 14 May 2015

I must remember that any consolation is not always in chocolate and that there are healthy alternatives are just as good and easy to do such as apple crisps. A good apple crisp with start with a sweet apple ; after all it was hardly a tart apple that incite Cinderella after all! And whilst you might think that a tart apple will sweeten up with baking or putting sugar on it ( which is not really what we are aiming for her in a healthy snack) I want an apple crisp than will not make my lips pucker up in a Oh My Goodness manner.

I want my Apple crisps to make my lips an OOOh my that is SOOOO good , food talks to you and in turn your reaction to it will influence you and other people.

Ingredients

ERRRM apples

You can core them if you wish or just slice avoiding the core .

Method
Preheat your oven to 120 C

Now you'll either have slick sling skills or you have at your fingers tips a mandolin.

I'm not going to get into a page 3 debate , it is not my fight or my cause and I'm leaving it all well alone , one can be afraid of tackling subjects with a tinge of risk but when there is a back story I'm intrigued and beguiled. This is not going to be a post on that subject but the human primeval instinct has always been there and what I saw last on television is testament to this.

I can't possibly do justice in a short blog post Freddie Knoller and how as a young Jewish man he had a turbulent time and what he did to survive. He spent 2 years hiding in Paris's red light district showing the Germans to the night clubs and brothels , survival.

'I was fascinated,' he says. 'This was the naughty district of Paris that I had read so much about. I was standing in front of the Folie Bergere which was in Montmartre and I saw these photos of the half naked dancers on the stage and I enjoyed myself.'

War made him in his words selfish but it was survival , such as stealing a piece of toast from a fellow prisoner in Auschwitz , you see see the regret in his eyes when I watched the program. This is one of the most powerful programs I have watched in my life , how we as humans can do this is beyond me sometimes. Freddie shows us we shouldn't be letting this happen again , how idolised causes result in such barbaric death, suffering and destruction.

The holecaust went beyond everything we can know , to know it just happened isn't enough too loosely are the words " this must never happen again "

This was very much brought home to me when in Berlin visiting the haunting and disquieting holocaust memorial.

Wednesday, 13 May 2015

Black Peas With Tomatoes And Chargrilled Swordfish

I have never really cooked with black peas or you might know them as parched peas before ,I know you can get them in cans but I had a box in the cupboard to good to give to the annual harvest cupboard clear out.

Ingredients

200 g of black badger peas which I soaked over night , then rinsed and cover for 45 minutes . You can use them immeadily or freeze some if cooking in larger quantities.

2 teaspoons of fresh chopped thyme

Squeeze of lemon juice

Olive oil

2 tablespoons of fresh chopped chives

2 tuna steaks

Crushed clove of garlic.

Toast pepper corns in a non stick frying pan over medium-high heat, swirling pan about 2 minutes. Let cool, then crush in a pestle and mortar.

Combine crushed pepper corns ,tinned tomatoes, garlic, black-eyed peas,chives, thyme ,lemon juice, and olive oil in a bowl; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. For 30 minutes let the flavours mix in the bowl at room temperature.

Meanwhile, heat remaining some more olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Season fish with salt and pepper and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

Monday, 11 May 2015

Friendship is a lot like socks ,the oddest of pairings will and does work.

Why should some socks (friends) not be paired ?

If we're were the odd one and you didn't get to get that special friend or friends ; then you'd feel quite left out. If you think someone is aloft, weird, unique and not running with the crowd who is to say that they couldn't be the friend that you didn't think you needed.

Saturday, 9 May 2015

Everyone loves a good crumble all except my teenager who's never like crumble just the custard. Almost everyone loves crumble and if you don't then you need educating in the mystic ways of the crumble.

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas4. Cut the rhubarb into 5cm (2in) pieces and place on a baking tray. Sprinkle with 4 tbsp water, add the caster sugar along with the summer fruits and roast for 10 minutes. Once the rhubarb is cooked, remove it from the oven. Mix together and place in a ovenproof dish about 3-4 cm ( 1 1/4-1 1/2 in) deep.

2. To make the crumble, combine the butter and sugar together in a bowl until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then mix in the flour add the weetabix for that extra crunch.

3. Sprinkle the crumble over the rhubarb and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove allow to cool slightly and serve with ice cream or double cream or even custard, if desired.

Friday, 8 May 2015

"It looks like Larry is back in at 10 Downing street , I like Larry he tried to eat a journalist once * so what is not to like. Larry is pretty chilled and I am always watching the television when that big black door of 10 Downing Street on to spot Larry.

With the Conservative humans back in I have heard from Larry that he faces austerity measures when it comes to feeding as gasp Mr Cameron said he is meant to be a mousing cat. I held onto my cat majority in Derbyshire I campaigned vigorously from my cat basket, the sink, the sink bowl and from behind the door and the ultimate the top of the stairs to scare the bejesus out of everyone.

Me on my soap box.

What is my manifesto I hear you ask ?

1. 23 hours naps for all .2. A nice basket to sleep in with your very own pinky bear.3. As much toilet paper and kitchen roll as you want to shred.4. That brand of cat food you like but then you won't like but will like.5. Nail file.6. Only Bow tie NO collars that make you sound like either bloody Noddy or a manic Morris dancer are out.7. Tummy tickles and biting your human bean.8. Classic FM 24 hours a day and a copy of the Guardian.9. The right to hiss at nothing that is there.10. The right to walk to the front door loop round and come in through the cat flap * repeating this action to your hearts content.

During my Instagram ramblings I became aware of Capture By Lucy's fill the frame which is encouraging you to basically fill your frame of your photographing medium. And the other day at a rugby / BBQ presentation I did exactly that. With my camera what I see in my minds eye is what I like to capture on film no wonder it takes me yonks to get anywhere but ooh what a sun kissed journey in Spring it is.

Sadly not my garden but that of a good friend and ooh what a mystical fairy garden it is , if that was my magical garden I would never ever leave it . A blooming beautiful blue bell wood is a gladenning sight of the heart soul and mind.

Sunday, 3 May 2015

Friday, 1 May 2015

What would I do with a spare £100 ? the word spare would indicate that the £100 would be all mine!. Oh the things I could myself like a metal watering can , I spied just the watering can at the local garden centre but it was deemed too expensive at £24.99 by Mr T; the very same Mr T who wants an Apple watch. Sharp intake of breath let's not go there shall we ?!

I think I would like to go on a trip to the Harry Potter Studios and stop over , I think this would be a shade over the 100 but a few sacrifices would suffice. It us amazing how frugal you can be when needs be. When we went to Florida the other year we went to Universal so Harry Potter World weaved its magic. Now Mr T and J went on the Harry Potter ride where you are flying on a broomstick. I however have the courage of Ron Weasley and the Cowardly Lion combined , and choose instead to have a swift Butterbeer. Least I was able to walk round Hogwarts without screaming my head off.

My son is approaching his GCSE's and he has his head screwed on when it come stop his revisions and it is myself trying to get him to relax, he has never been a troubled teen no slamming doors or anything really. So going to Harry Potter studios would be a nice treat for us a family as he grew up with the Harry Potter films and it was very much a family staple each magical Christmas time.
The TSB Plus Account has just turned One ( ps Happy Birthday) the maximum interest you can earn in a year from the Plus Account is £100 AER (5% AER on up to £2000)

I love that 78% believe things improve with time the adage I apply to myself is that I am like a fine wine that improves over time! Improvement for me is also on a personal level this morning for example I have tacked the garden and baked flapjacks ( and now I am drinking tea after this domesticated surge) You see I have been not only improving myself but also the garden and this will pay dividends twofold.Disclosure ~ All the words are my own and I have been compensated for this article with a voucher. I however brought the vegetables form a garden centre and didn't grow from seed.